Relationship

“If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2: 1-4 NRSVUE

If there is any comfort in Christ? Wow, what a way to start a conversation. It goes on from there. Any love, partnership in Spirit, and caring at all, then be of the same mind. That is unity. But the unity must exclude the selfish. It needs to be a humble unity.

What does a humble unity look like?

Start with the humble. Regard others as better than yourselves. Realize you just aren’t all that without all those.

From this attitude, we can take action.

Look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.

That seems to be fairly clear. How do we do that in a congregation?

Use what God has given you to give to the community. Care for your community. Care for each other and each individual in your community.

Many fear that opening their hands to let go of what they have for the sake of the call will leave them empty. I believe it leaves you with a holy space for God to fill. When your hands are clasped around what you have, you cannot receive.

Open up, reach out, and be in relationships. Care that there might be some comfort in Christ in this broken world. Please.